Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-09-27-Speech-3-267"
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"en.20060927.21.3-267"2
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"Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, with only a few weeks to go before the next EU-India summit, we must pay tribute to Europe’s commitment to put more effort into its cooperation with India. This great democracy is not only one of our privileged partners in Asia, but it is also an actor with ever greater responsibilities, both regionally and internationally. It is for that reason that I am grateful to my fellow Member, Mr Karim, for pointing out that our relations with India are not limited merely to the commercial field, but that they are bolstered by extensive cooperation in a vast number of areas.
India has embarked on major reforms in relation to the promotion of the Millennium Development Goals, even though that may at times appear insufficient. It has committed itself to protecting the environment, to applying the international standards on labour law and to combating poverty and AIDS. Initiatives such as those must be encouraged and supported by a strong political will and by financial resources that are sufficient to meet the needs of this continent country.
Enhanced university cooperation between India and the European Union is indeed crucial, but we must ensure at all costs that we counter any possible brain drain, as that would deprive this country of its greatest asset. Let us not forget that our relations must be guided by the notion of partnership and of mutual exchange. We therefore cannot regard India merely as a huge pool of cheap labour.
The optimistic view that we have of our future cooperation with India must not conceal an ever difficult reality. As this report highlights, certain sectors of the Indian economy are very fragile. I am thinking, in particular, of the farming sector, which is suffering from the effects of the uncontrolled liberalisation of trade. That is why I am surprised – and I agree in this respect with what various Members have said – that the conclusion of a free trade agreement should have been proposed. Not only would a decision such as that be premature, but I must point out that the European Union has committed itself to acting first and foremost within the context of the Doha Round. To talk from now on about supporting bilateral negotiations would run counter to the principles that we have been upholding for months and would be a very bad sign for the multilateral structure that we earnestly desire.
I shall conclude. If our aim is indeed to have trade work in favour of development, then our trade relations will have to be conceived in a concerted and gradual manner within a rational and solid framework with our partner."@en1
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